


Inclinations

by lazylyz



Category: RWBY
Genre: Developing Relationship, Flirting, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Multi, Polyamory Negotiations, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 16:22:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22499008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lazylyz/pseuds/lazylyz
Summary: Clover catches Qrow packing to leave and in the confrontation finds himself invited along. He decides to use the opportunity to get closer to Qrow, but in the process gets more than he expected.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi/Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen/Taiyang Xiao Long, past Raven Branwen/Summer Rose/Taiyang Xiao Long
Comments: 28
Kudos: 110





	1. Packed Bags

**Author's Note:**

> I swear I was writing other things, but when my brain takes a tangent who am I to put a stop to it.  
> I wouldn’t have shipped this except the incorrectdragonscharms tumblr was very compelling, and I like the dynamic between the three of them. Also, I have no clue when this is set because the rules are made up and the points don’t matter. If the rwby writers can’t be bothered to plan and explain shit properly, then I can't either.

Clover always felt there was a wall when it came to getting to know Qrow. A wall he thought was there to keep others from getting hurt by Qrow's semblance. A wall Clover had hoped he could help Qrow start taking down, but the packed bag on the floor was telling him something different.

Clover tried to think over what would make Qrow want to leave. He knew Qrow wasn't one for sticking around, but with all their time in Atlas, he had hoped that changed. He and Qrow had been progressively getting closer, solidifying their friendship. They enjoyed each other's company, played cards frequently, and joked with each other over luck. He thought the man had been making strides and getting better.

The soft smiles Qrow would throw him would have his heart racing in a nauseating beat, and Clover was sure, so sure, that Qrow was starting to open up, that he had similar feelings as the ones Clover felt. They had a genuine friendship, but they still weren't that close, not as close as Clover had hoped.

"Hey, what brings you here?" Qrow asked while rifling through a drawer across from the bed. Clover for the life of him couldn't think of what brought him to the huntsman's room. The door had been open when he got there so he let himself in, but the reason escaped him. All he could think of was the bag on the bed.

"You're leaving?"

Clover must not have been able to mask the hurt in those words. Qrow quickly spun to face him. A wide-eyed, panicked look stole across his features, one Clover hadn't seen since their first mission together.

"No!" Qrow shouted and then grimaced at the volume. "Not… not like that. I'm just going away for the weekend. Planned on taking the kids to Patch for a few days since it's quieted down here. I was going to let you know, but I got sidetracked." Qrow scratched at the back of his head before motioning to the bag on the bed. Clover felt the heavy weight in his stomach ease, but not entirely dissipate.

"Oh," Clover said after he gathered his thoughts. He watched as Qrow grabbed a few sets of clothes out of the drawer and stuff them haphazardly stuff them into the duffle. He shook his head slightly and took in a deep easing breath, hoping that Qrow wouldn't call him out on his moment of anxiety. "That sounds like a great idea! I didn't realize Patch was that close."

"It's not. Weiss somehow managed to secure an airship, so it won't take that long to fly there," Qrow answered. He finished stuffing the bag and zipped it closed before facing Clover. He had a look in his eyes that Clover couldn't place. "Have you never left Atlas before?"

"Of course, I've left Atlas," Clover replied. He was thrown by the question and tried not to sound defensive about it but something about the statement didn't sit right with him.

"I meant not for work. You've never used your vacation time to travel?" Qrow pressed further.

"No, it just never came up. It's not something I've ever really thought about. Besides, traveling like that is more fun if you have someone to go with," Clover said. Between rising the ranks in the military and the unstable political situation between Atlas and Mantle, Clover hadn't given anything thought to having his own free time.

He held Qrow's gaze before the man broke it looked back to his packed bag. There was something in the set of his shoulders, an energy Clover couldn't describe, and when he looked back his cheeks were slightly flushed. His eyes were bright, and the small smile Clover didn't get to see often graced his features.

"Umm… do you… like, want to?" Qrow asked. He sheepishly rubbed at the back of his neck. Clover didn't understand what was making the man so embarrassed and was confused at where he was trying to take the conversation.

"What, like travel?" Clover asked. "Sure, I guess, but I wouldn't even know where to go."

Qrow nodded but then froze. An unintelligible noise came from his mouth like he had a thought but then lost it. Qrow glanced at the packed bag on the bed again, and Clover quickly thought over what was asked just moments earlier. Suddenly, Qrow's nervousness made sense. He wasn't asking about Clover's general travel interests.

"Oh, you mean with you!" Clover exclaimed. He couldn't help the giddy elation bubbling in his stomach, and he couldn't hold back a smile. "You would let me in on your family trip."

"Y-you're welcome to, uh, join us. I mean, the whole team is going so it's not like it's an exclusive family thing, and it's really short notice so I don't know if you can get time off," Qrow said in a rush and with a wave of a hand. "I know we're not exactly the closest, but I do consider us friends." Qrow's eyes shown bright and he looked like he was about to take off. "If you would like to tag along to get out of Atlas for nonmilitary reasons for once, we wouldn't mind."

"Well, I have a lot of sick days piled up," Clover said. The expression and energy that radiated from Qrow, the one Clover had struggled to place, was answered the second those words left his mouth. Hope. Qrow was hopeful and looking forward to having Clover travel with them. A sign that Qrow was willing to take that wall down between them, and it was something Clover so desperately wanted to happen. He chuckled under his breath, "I'll see what I can do."


	2. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Clover gets introduced to the other members of the Xiao Long family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why edit when I can just post things as I finish them.

Clover got his sick days approved in record time. He chalked it up to the person running approvals feeling bad for him because it was unheard of getting several days in a row let alone short notice. Qrow, however, teased him about it later, saying he must have flicked his fancy pin before filling out the paperwork. Clover laughed at the idea of ever using his semblance for something so mundane.

Soon he found himself aboard an airship headed towards Patch. The snowy skies breaking to sunny warmth. The anticipation of adventure kept his mood high and he struggled to reign in the excitable energy. He suckered Qrow into playing cards with him while the girls chatted to themselves with glances in their direction every now and then.

The rest of the flight to Patch relatively uneventful, and they soon landed in a clearing that Qrow said was not too far from the house. They disembarked and made the rest of the trek on foot, but Clover was not prepared for the heat.

"Are you sure it's supposed to be like this?" He complained to Qrow who was currently leading the group on some unseen winding path through the trees. Qrow glanced over his shoulder and chuckled.

"You got a problem with the heat, hotshot?"

"Not usually, this is just excessive," Clover said, pulling at his shirt. It was already starting to gather sweat around his lower back and under his armpits. He would have to change into one of his tank tops sooner than he thought.

"I'll tell you what's excessive," Yang said from the back of the group.

"Yang, we don't want to hear it," Qrow cut her off. Clover could here Ruby's stifled giggles. Clover looked over his shoulder to the girls following behind them. The glint in Yang's eye told him he probably didn't want to know what she was going to say. Better left for their ears and not his.

"What, it was going to be witty with just the right amount of snark but not enough to get me into trouble," Yang said with a wink in his direction. "We would have laughed."

"Everything you say gets you into trouble," Weiss sniped back. Yang scoffed and rolled her eyes. She shared a knowing look with her sister before continuing to follow silently.

After a while, the trees parted to the edge of a well-worn path and Qrow took them to the right. Ahead stood a decent-sized home with two beds of sunflowers framing either side. It looked warm and inviting and altogether something he would never have pictured as a place Qrow or the girls lived.

Their presence must have been known ahead of time and considering they did land a rather large aircraft in a clearing not too far from here because the front door opened wide. There stood a man, tall with bright blonde hair and a deep-set scowl. His arms were crossed, and he looked ready to rip Qrow a new one.

"Dad!" Ruby shouted from behind him. She sped past and his scowl broke into a bright smile and arms outstretched to catch her.

"Kiddo! You've made it back, and in once piece I see." The timbre of his voice was light and welcoming, and she laughed in response. Clover felt like he was breaking into what was clearly a family reunion a long time coming. Clover looked to Qrow hoping to pick up a cue from him, but the man was watching his niece with a small smile.

Clover felt a Yang brush past his shoulder and in his periphery, he caught her wink back at him. Clover didn't know what to make of it and it left him unsettled. He briefly wondered if his winks left people feeling like that.

"Firecracker! Look at you with the upgrades," her father said, motioning to Yang's arm.

"Yeah, it's pretty slick. You should see it in action. Packs quite a punch," she said, giving him a slug to the shoulder.

"I don't doubt it," he replied rubbing at the spot. He turned to the rest of the group, his eyes falling to Qrow. He gave him a terse nod. "Qrow."

"Tai," Qrow greeted back. He looked unsure and glanced warily in Clover's direction. Tai followed his gaze.

"Oh wow, you brought someone home," Tai said.

"What?! No, no that's not…" Qrow sputtered and whipped his head back to Tai. A flush started to creep up the back of his neck.

"Hi, I'm Taiyang Xiao Long." Tai stepped forward with a hand outstretched. "Ruby and Yang's father. And you are?"

"Clover Ebi," he replied, taking the offered hand with a firm shake.

"Ah, you do have military written all over you."

Clover laughed, "How do you figure that?"

"Qrow has a type."

Clover could hear the sucked in breath from Qrow. The coughing fit that followed did nothing to hide the flush as it deepened and made its way up to his neck and into his face.

"I do not have a type," he rasped after clearing his throat.

Clover raised an eyebrow back at Qrow. Tai looked like he was getting ready to reveal every individual that fell into the classification, but to Qrow's favor, the moment was interrupted. Several staccato yips and barks came from the house, and not a moment later a little corgi poked its head out the open door.

Clover's heart swelled and he couldn't hold back the audible gasp. Thankfully, it was drowned out by Ruby's exuberant shouts.

"ZWEI!"

Ruby swept the dog up into her arms. Her teammate was there in a flash, cooing and fawning over the dog. Clover couldn't help himself and followed suit.

"Hello there, fluffy. Aren't you so cute?" he said, walking forward and stretching out a hand to pet the squirming dog. "With your fluffy ears and pretty tail."

"His name is Zwei," Weiss said. Her matter of fact tone brokered no argument for how serious she was about this dog. "And, he is the most precious, lovely, cute puppy ever. Isn't that right, Zwei?"

Ruby let him down, and Zwei took off with a shot, zipping around their heels and jumping up for pets. Clover, not one to let an opportunity go to waste, let himself fall back to the ground. Zwei scurried around, wet nose searching for an opening.

"I honestly don't know what to make of this," came Qrow's monotone judgment, but Clover ignored it in favor of the dog covering him in kisses.

"Well, if Zwei loves him then he can't be all that bad," Tai replied, looking on next to Qrow before spotting the rest of the team still standing in the yard. "Oh, come in, come in. Let's get you all settled, and your stuff put away." He looked between Yang and Blake. "Yang, no hanky-panky while you're here."

"What?! Dad, that's not fair," Yang cried out. She pulled Blake towards the house with one hand, the other making an obscene gesture.

"This isn't about fairness young lady. This is about me keeping my sanity," Tai replied, arms crossed. "And I will remove that arm myself if you continue that behavior while here."

Yang opened her mouth to argue but cut herself short. She mumbled under her breath instead as she passed by him.

"What was that? Do you have something to share?"

"I said, entire team," she exclaimed over her shoulder.

Ruby looked stunned next to her, looked between her father and sister and shouted, "Okay, have fun with this conversation! I'm going to show everyone where the stuff is!"

She quickly sped off, leaving fluttering petals in her wake. Blake took her cue and followed in behind. Yang promptly snapped her jaw closed, waited for half a second and then followed on her sister and teammates' heels. Weiss remained, arms crossed and eyes rolling. With a shake of her head, she brought her attention back to Zwei on the ground.

"Yang Xiao Long, don't make me..." Tai shouted after her into the house.

"What did I get myself into," Clover said, giving Zwei several pats to his head.

Weiss gave Clover a flat look, "You know exactly what you were doing when you agreed to this."

She then addressed Zwei on the ground between them, her voiced pitched babying the dog. "Isn't that right little puppy. You're adorable, aren't you? Yes, you are. The only reason why I agreed to this trip."

"Okay, enough loving the dog," Qrow said, shooing Zwei back into the house. Weiss gave him a dirty look but complied. Qrow looked down where Clover was still on the ground and shook his head. He offered him his hand and Clover took it. "Let's just bring it inside, at least."

"Yeah! I want to interrogate this guy you brought home," Tai shouted from inside.

"That's not… it's not like that, and you don't need to interrogate him," Qrow said, dropping Clover's hand without delay and heading into the home. Clover followed behind, letting his eyes trail over the tense line of Qrow's shoulders.

"You don't need to get defensive, Qrow. If it's like you're saying," Tai answered patting Qrow's cheek. Qrow swatted his hand away with a scowl. Tai turned to Clover not giving him two seconds to catch his bearings in the new place. He cast a sidelong glance in Qrow's direction before asking, "So, what brings you out here?"

"What are you looking at me for?" Qrow

"You're the one he knows, bird brain."

"Are you implying something?"

"Do I have to imply something or is there something you want to tell me?"

"I don't know how you want me to answer that."

Clover watched the back and forth arguing with fascination before deciding to speak up and answer the question that had been asked of him, "I had never been outside Solitas other than on mission before. Qrow offered. I had a lot of sick days pilled up that have been unused, so here I am. Can I just say, it's fucking hot here. I don't know how you handle the weather."

"You get used to it," Tai said with a laugh. A high-pitched squeal comes from Ruby's room prompting Tai to shout over his shoulder, "Remember, no using your semblances in the house! Go outside if you want to destroy things!"

He turned back to Qrow and Clover, eyes alight. "So, any plans? See the sights, do the…"

Qrow scoffed, cutting off Tai's question, "There's always the beach, but we'll think of things to do later. I am famished." He made to move in what Clover assumed was the direction of the kitchen.

"You could always clean out your birdhouse," Tai called after him. Qrow stopped short. The glare that he leveled back at Tai was one Clover hoped to never be on the receiving end of. It was the type of glare that started and ended fights.

"What? Why is it dirty?"

"Because you're not here to use it," Tai replied, placing a hand on his hip. "And I'm not getting up there to clean it. Besides, I think a sparrow family moved in and shit all over it."

A deep-set frown formed on Qrow's face, "I can't believe you've done this. You know I can't come home all the time."

"I'm not having this argument right now, not in front of guests."

"It's one guest, and it wouldn't have to be an argument if you had just cleaned it like you're supposed to."

"Well excuse me. I have a busy life too. I work. I shop. I provide a place for you all to come back too."

"A place that should be clean!"

Clover raised a hand between them, interrupting their argument. "Umm, not to interrupt this very compelling and enlightening discussion, but do you have a bathroom I could use? It's just, we've been on a long flight and I could, you know…"

"Oh yeah, it's just upstairs. Second door on the right," Tai answered with a wave of his hand not taking his eyes off Qrow.

"Thanks," Clover excused himself from their faceoff, mind reeling at all the information, but one thing that remained at the forefront of his thoughts though was Yang's brief comment when she had stormed into the house. He wondered if Qrow and Tai's argument below had anything to do with it, and whether or not it was an ongoing thing that would put him off from getting closer to Qrow.

Once in the bathroom, Clover exhaled slowly letting his head fall back against the closed door. No, he couldn't assume things. Doing so would send him spiraling and that was not something he wanted to do. He would just have to wait and see. Qrow had invited him along on this trip to his home and he would have to trust in that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feed me with comments and headcanons. I'll love you forever and definitely write more. You can find me on tumblr @lazylyz or @lyzwrites.


	3. Accusations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tai jumps to conclusions about several things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t forget about this nor did I abandon it! I just get easily distracted and hyper fixate on other things. This is why I can’t post wips, I’ll never finish them. Also, I don’t remember where I was going with this story. It was going to have way more angst, but I'm not really in the mood for that.

Clover left the bathroom once he felt put back together and presentable. He hoped to find Qrow quickly, but Tai was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed and leaning against the wall.

Clover let his eyes track over the man. He was good-looking, and if Clover wasn’t focused on the potential with Qrow, he might have been interested. He averted his gaze, not wanting the man to know he had been checking him out, and quickly skipped down the stairs. 

Tai’s head jerked up when Clover stepped on a particularly squeaky step. Uncrossing his arms and pushing off the wall, he watched Clover descend the rest of the way down. When Clover reached the last stair, Tai stepped in front of him, arm steering them both back towards the living room. Tai had been waiting for him that much was clear.

“I’m sorry about all that,” he said with a wave of his hand in the direction of the front hall. “I don’t usually greet guests like that, but Qrow tends to get under my skin sometimes.”

“I think you should give him a little slack. He’s been angling on getting the girls a break to come back and visit you,” Clover said, hoping he could help bridge the discord between two men. He didn’t expect the deep sigh from Tai in response.

“Not you too.”

“Me too?” Clover asked.

“Yang practically ripped me a new one while you were indisposed.”

Clover couldn’t hold back the grimace. “That makes it sound like I was sick or something.”

Tai let out a stilted laugh and stepped back, giving Clover a once over. He wasn’t unused to ogling, and Tai’s gaze certainly started out that way, but then his eyes narrowed, and a deep scowl set across his face.

“What are you superstitious or something?” Tai asked, voice rough with a tightly wound anger.

The irritation seemed to come out of nowhere, and Clover could not form words in response. His mouth flapped uselessly and struggled to get something of a question out, “Huh?”

“I just noticed you carry a lucky charm,” Tai said, motioning to the rabbit foot secured on his belt.

“Oh! No, not like that,” Clover replied. He rubbed at the foot subconsciously, knowing that Tai probably thought it had something to do with Qrow’s presence. “Umm, my semblance is good fortune and I tend to channel it through things. I usually have a badge, but _someone_ saw fit to take it from me while on the flight here.”

“Hey, I won that fair and square,” Qrow called from the kitchen. Both men turned their attention to the kitchen before Tai looked back to Clover. His expression cleared, but he still carried a crease of doubt across his forehead.

“Good fortune? Really? What are the odds that you two would meet?”

“Quite high, I guess, considering we did,” Clover replied as amicably as he could after being accused of being uneasy around Qrow’s semblance.

“I like you,” Tai said, cracking a larger smile. “I have a feeling we’re going to get along.” He gave Clover a pat on the shoulder and then walked back to the stairs. “With that, I’m going to let you settle in a little while go check on the girls. Don’t let Qrow set the kitchen on fire.”

“You’re the one who’s terrible at cooking, Tai!” Qrow yelled from the other room.

Tai shook his head and ascended the stairs without a backward look, leaving Clover to fend for himself. He felt the knot of tension ease. At least he knew Tai cared, even after everything he and Qrow went through together. It might make mending the bridge between them easier.

He turned to the kitchen, figuring he might as well see what Qrow had been getting up to while he was ‘indisposed’. Stepping into the well-lit room, he found Qrow leaning against the counter munching on something crunchy. He had the horseshoe shamrock pin in his hand, flipping it end over end.

“Thank you,” Qrow said, not looking up when Clover entered. “But…”

“If you say I didn’t have to, Qrow,” Clover started, knowing that Qrow had his own reservations regarding Tai.

“You didn’t have to,” Qrow said, holding his gaze. He watched Qrow flick his pin in the air, letting it flip end over end before catching it. Clover narrowed his eyes. Qrow was up to something.

“Alright, you’ve had your fun,” Clover said, stepping forward to reach for his pin. “Now give it back.”

Qrow flicked the pin high, smirk settling in on his face. Clover shot forward, hoping to catch it out of the air, but Qrow was faster. He grabbed the pin, pulling it behind his back.

“I need it to direct my luck,” Clover said, trying to talk Qrow into giving it back.

“I know that. You trying to get lucky?”

“No,” Clover said, chasing after Qrow. He dodged out of the way of Clover’s grasping hands, pivoting away. The smile lighting up his face dispelled any irritation Clover had with him, and he felt the same joy overtake him. He knew there was a deep flush on his cheeks. “Qrow, give me back the pin.”

“No,” he petulantly said, holding it just out of reach.

Tai walked in, looking between the two of them. “I swear I get enough of this from my own daughters,” he said with a longsuffering sigh. “Let me see the pin.”

Qrow glowered, shaking his head.

“He’s our guest,” Tai said, putting his hand over his face. “You can’t keep antagonizing him.”

“He’s my guest,” Qrow clarified.

“At my house, so that means my rules,” he said, walking up to the two of them. “You don’t get to torture him.”

“I do no such thing.”

“Fine, you can flirt endlessly with your boyfriend when I’m not here.”

Clover felt his face heat while Qrow gapped and sputtered.

“That’s not… We’re not dating,” Qrow ground out. His grip on the pin must have loosened because Tai reached out, plucking it out of his grasp with ease.

“Uh-huh,” he said, turning it over in his hands. “It’s a very nice pin. How does the semblance thing work between you too?’

Clover was still reeling from Tai’s assumption about him and Qrow to come up with a coherent answer. Thankfully, Qrow didn’t seem all that off-kilter.

“Like right now or in a fight?” Qrow asked, crossing his arms with a frown on his face. He settled against the cabinets, clearly put out that Tai got the upper hand on him.

“A fight.”

“As you know, I make things go bad,” Qrow said, pointing to himself. “And he makes things go good.”

“Yeah, bird brain, I figured that, but how does it actually work?”

“You familiar with that table game the girls are into?”

“The one with the dice?”

“Yeah, that one. Well, it’s like this: I ramp up the probability of a critical failure, and he can control where the success is.”

Tai ran his thumb over the raised horseshoe, clearly contemplating something.

“So, they don’t cancel each other out.”

“Nope,” Qrow said, popping the p.

Clover chuckled, “I’m teaching him to channel it like I do. If we can get it to that point, we could control almost any outcome in a fight.”

The energy in the room simmered down, and Clover took a step back, deciding to take a seat at the table to help ease the tension. Qrow relaxed his defensive posture and started searching through the cabinets, grabbing a pot here and a pan there. Tai watched on with a decerning look, and Clover wondered what he was thinking.

“I’m still upset with you,” Tai said.

“Aren't you always?” Qrow asked his head deep in a cabinet, muffling his retort.

“Yes, but you've brought the girls back home in one piece,” Tai leaned against the counter next to where Qrow started laying out various pots and pans. “I can be mollified.”

“I did say I would look after them,” Qrow replied, looking back at Tai. “Also, are you going to help, because if not I don’t need you hovering over my shoulder.”

Tai scowled, grabbing a spice jar from the counter and chucking it at Qrow. With a deft movement, Qrow caught the small container and flung it back before ducking under the table. Clover sat there shellshocked, not quite sure if this was normal behavior for the two of them.

Tai froze, spice jar held loosely in his hand. “I thought you were just pleasantly buzzed, but you haven't been like this since you were sober.”

Qrow popped back up, sheepishly scratching at the back of his head. “Yeah well, Ruby makes a good argument.”

“But you are the one who stopped drinking,” Clover quickly added, knowing Qrow would deflect his own effort in the process. The look Qrow gave him brought forth memories of the first time Clover called Qrow out on his deflection.

“For some reason, I feel like there’s a lot there that’s not being addressed.” Tai looking back and forth between the two men. Clover offered Tai small smile. He didn’t want to push Qrow sooner than he was ready, but a little nudge in the right direction couldn’t hurt. Before he could say anything more, Qrow cut him off.

“Dinner,” Qrow said, walking back over to the counter.

“Right,” Tai said, taking his cue and sitting across from Clover.

“How many corn cobs do you have?” Qrow asked with his back to them.

“Do I look like a grocery store?” Tai groused.

“No, but you are capable of going to one,” Qrow said, giving him a pointed look over his shoulder.

“But I just went,” he complained.

“And we just got here,” Qrow countered. “And I’m cooking.”

Clover just sat there watching their little banter back and forth. To an untrained eye, it would seem like there was a lot of animosity between these two men, but Clover could sense there was a much deeper bond underneath all the hurt.

“Fine, what do you need?” Tai asked, relenting under Qrow’s glare.

“Crawdads.”

“No,” Tai exclaimed, scandalized. “Shrimp is better.”

“Crawdads, and there will be no arguments because you haven’t seen the amount of food those girls can consume.”

Tai scrunched his nose, clearly contemplating the pros and cons quickly. Then, he raised his hands to his mouth and shouted, “YANG!”

Clover winced. Several seconds later, Yang popped her head through the doorway.

“Hey yo,” She said, eyes lighting up when she spotted Qrow at the counter. “You planning dinner?”

“Qrow’s working on it,” Tai said with a wave of his hand.

“Yes!” She gave her fist a pump before looking back at her father. “What’d you call me for then?”

“I need you to go to the store,” Tai said.

“Oh, come on, we just got here.”

“Qrow needs crawdads.”

She froze, all complaints dying on her tongue. “Are we having a boil for dinner?”

“That’s the plan,” Qrow answered.

She turned towards the stairs, placing her hands to her mouth, much like her father. “Blake! We’re going to the store.” She turned back to her father, holding out her hand.

“Here,” Qrow said, stepping forward. “A list. Put it on my card.” He held out his wallet, and she made to grab for it, but he pulled it back. “And don’t get anything extra.”

“Sure thing!” She responded, her eyes twinkling in a way that Clover knew she wouldn’t be heeding Qrow’s rules. It seemed like Qrow knew that too when he shook his head while handing her his wallet. Tucking the wallet into her pocket, she bounded out of the kitchen as the girls thundered down the stairs to meet her in the living room.

As they left the house, Clover finally worked up the courage to ask, “What’s a crawdad?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next (whenever I get around to it), Clover’s first experience with a low country boil.


	4. Propositions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Clover sparks a conversation he is in no way prepared for. In other words, the low country boil has been postponed till next chapter. The boys wanted to talk while the kids are out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, I was also working on this since it's been forever. Looks at calandar 😬 july... so long ago, time where did you go?

With the girls gone, Qrow and Tai regaled Clover with stories from when they went to Beacon, and every time a new story started Clover could not help but think over what Yang said when they first entered the home. He felt like this would be his only chance to ask.

“So….” Clover trailed off, heart beating a crazy rhythm. The silence that greeted him had Clover on edge, wondering if he would be out of place asking the question as both Tai and Qrow raised their heads and looked at him. Curiosity got the best of him though, and he cleared his throat, hoping they could not see the nerves he so keenly felt. “When Yang said entire team… was it like a whole team thing?”

The effect was instant. Qrow turned bright red and Tai loosed a full belly laugh. 

“That was a long time ago,” Qrow ground out. Clover could tell it was a clear attempt to deflect further questions, but he could not tell if that was from general embarrassment or more personal reasons.

“He was the first one before we all became a team,” Tai answered over Qrow. He got a glare in return and just broadly smiled back.

“You were stupid, and I was drunk,” Qrow said, relenting to the conversation. “If I remember correctly you said something along the lines of ‘I couldn’t stop thinking about you in that skirt’, and it just went from there.”

“I don’t remember it like that,” Tai said, rubbing at his chin.

“Skirt?” Clover asked, his curiosity peaking even more. He had thought he heard chatter between the kids over something like this, but he had no way of verifying.

“Don’t,” Qrow lamented, but he could not stop the steam of giggles that continued to fall from Tai.

“I convinced Qrow on the first day of Beacon that guys wear the skirt part of the uniform, seeing as he and Raven had never really been in polite society.”

“At least I’ve got nice legs, and it’s totally the reason something happened between us in the first place,” Qrow said with a smug air.

Clover ran Yang’s selective words through his head while he let Qrow and Tai reminisce in the quiet that followed. He knew his curiosity would be considered intrusive, but he so desperately wanted to ask, to clarify, and make sure he wasn’t reading the situation wrong.

“But after that?” Clover started. Tai gave him a questioning look. “Did you ever…” Clover trailed off as a flush overcame him. “Uh…”

“No awkward questions here, pretty boy,” Tai said, leaning forward, hand propped under his chin and elbow on the table. “You already started this train.”

Clover let out an exhaled laugh that turned into a wheeze when he tried to breathe in. He swallowed thickly and looked from Tai to Qrow and then back to Tai. “Did you ever, you know, at the same time with the others?”

“Brothers no,” Qrow exclaimed with a hysterical laugh, but the lack of response from Tai had him turning his head.

Tai looked even redder, “Well, I did say open book.”

“Tai!” Qrow exclaimed, eyes bugging out as he stared at his brother in law. “I… Raven and Summer? Really?”

Clover’s gaze flicked between the two of them, eyebrows raised on his forehead. He was stunned, not expecting that outcome. He assumed from the way Yang had talked that the whole family knew or at least was comfortable with the idea.

“What? Don’t look at me like that!” Tai cried out. “You know how they got. You can’t blame me for going along with it.”

“WHAT? When?” Qrow asked. His hands were grasping at the sides of his face while he looked on at Tai, clearly flabbergasted from the information he was learning.

Tai sheepishly scratched at the back of his head. “Well, you know. Kind of like on and off.”

The silence that followed was nothing like the previous one. Here, Qrow sat, gaze unfocused, mind probably reeling.

“Even while you were married?” He weakly asked.

“Well yeah, Raven and Summer ehhh…” Tai trailed off and cleared his throat.

“Wow,” Qrow plainly said. “I don’t even… I. I just need to rethink a lot of things.”

Clover nodded to himself, eyes locked on his hands, and played with his badge, not wanting to intrude on whatever things Qrow was starting to realize. Clover at least knew to hold his tongue and let the two men sort out a few things.

“That time after the winter festival?” Qrow asked.

Tai gave him a pained look but otherwise didn’t say anything.

“Really!? I stayed here… in the house… while you all just.”

“Hey, you can’t blame us. You stayed over uninvited and unannounced.”

“Yeah, but you’re all family, and I had done it before, and it wasn’t a problem.”

Tai didn’t respond. He only held Qrow’s gaze with a half apologetic smile as if trying to reassure the man he wasn’t crazy.

“WHAT? Really? I can’t believe this. Oh my god.” Qrow put his hands over his face and then on the table. “What is happening right now?”

Tai let him wallow and winked at Clover.

“So, now that you know that little interesting relationship tidbit-“ Tai started, but Qrow cut him off.

“Little is an understatement, Tai.” The whining edge to his voice reminding Clover of how Qrow would get when on a losing streak in cards.

“I am just saying,” Tai emphatically continued. “Now that you know a little of my history and if you two are open, I’d be a willing participant in whatever’s going on here.”

He motioned between them, and it took a moment for Clover’s brain to catch up with what Tai was suggesting. When he did, he felt his entire body flush. He sputtered, trying to formulate words, but Qrow got there first.

“What?” He exclaimed, head shooting up off the table.

“We’re not together,” Clover weakly said after finding his voice.

“Tai…”

“You mean you two haven’t even discussed anything? With all that flirting you guys do I would have thought you were already banging.”

Clover sputter even more, and Qrow just gapped, not looking Clover in the eye.

“It’s not like you to drag your feet, Qrow,” Tai continued. “Oh god, If I have to watch empty flirting while you two are here.”

Qrow sputtered and weakly replied, “Maybe I like the flirting.”

Tai hummed with a pensive look on his face. He glanced between Qrow and Clover. “Alright, if you won’t do it, I will,” he said, turning his attention to Clover. His eyebrows waggled suggestively. “You interested?”

Mouth hanging open, Clover felt his face flush with heat.

“What?!” Qrow shot up from his seat. “You can’t just…”

“I can discuss whatever I want with whoever I want, Qrow. You’re welcome to stay, or you can leave?”

“What would you even discuss?” Qrow grilled, leaning his weight on his arms braced against the table.

“Well, that’s open to negotiation. Though, you’re welcome to be involved if you wish,” Tai finished offhandedly.

Clover’s gaze slid away from the arguing men. Tai’s offer had his thoughts reeling. Atlas was always rigid and unyielding when it came to relationships. Most of his flings were kept under the radar and short-lived. It was only now, well into his military career, that he considered throwing caution to the wind and following his heart. Qrow sharply turned to him, catching the faraway look in Clover’s eyes.

“Oh my gosh.” Qrow blinked heavily and shifted his weight back. Qrow gestured between them all. “I can’t believe this is happening. How am I the only one with any sense left?”

Clover exhaled through his teeth, feeling a giddiness rise inside. “To be honest, I'm just trying to figure out how we got to this part of the conversation.”

“You’re the one who brought it up!” Qrow exclaimed, throwing his hands out in Clover’s direction.

“Yeah, but I didn’t think it would end in an offer! I mean. We’re not even…”

“Do we need a safe word?” Tai asked, running a hand over his chin.

A choked off squawk left Qrow’s mouth, and Clover could feel the blood rush through his whole body. In their distraction, they didn’t hear the door open or the girls enter. Thankfully, only Yang walked into the kitchen at that moment.

“I don’t even want to know,” She said, dropping the bags of groceries off before spinning around and heading right back out. She glared at her father on the way out. “We’ll be down for dinner later. Just never let me overhear that again.”

“Yang, it was a joke!” Tai called after her. “That’s not… we are not discussing anything like that!”

She shouted back, “I don’t want to know!” Her footfalls resounded through the house as she stomped her way upstairs, leaving the men in a state of shock.

“So…” Tai, arching a brow, glanced between Qrow and Clover. Clover pulled his lips between his teeth and shook his head in their direction.

“Not with the kids here,” Qrow hissed back at Tai.

“I’m interpreting that as you’re amiable?”

“I’m going to start cooking,” Qrow said, pushing away from the table. He gathered the bags Yang had dropped off and started sorting through the items.

“After dinner then?” Tai said with a nod. He gave Clover a pleased little smile before getting up and leaving Clover alone at the table.

Heart still pounding, Clover took the moment to recenter himself without either of the men watching him. He had thought visiting Patch would give him the opportunity to get closer to Qrow and that maybe he would work up the courage to make it something more official but now his thoughts were muddled with things he could not have accounted for.

Qrow glanced over his should, catching Clover’s eye. A faint flush dusted his cheeks, and he turned back to preparing the food.

“Don’t let Tai, uh, pressure you into anything,” he said, facing the cabinets.

Clover chuckled and got up from his place at the table. He took two short strides to the empty counter space next to Qrow and leaned against it, making sure he was in Qrow’s eye line.

“And if I’d be open to something?” He asked.

Qrow’s gaze snapped to his. “With him?’

“Or with you,” Clover offered. “I know we haven’t really had a conversation about this, and right now isn’t exactly the best time to talk about it.”

The tense line in Qrow’s shoulders relaxed, and a soft smile spread across his face. “Tell me about it,” he groused. “The kids are guaranteed to bound in here making a ruckus.” He turned back to the package on the counter, pulling at the paper-wrapped corners. “Tell you what, tomorrow I’ll take you fishing, and we can have our long-overdue conversation.”

Clover, giddy at the prospect of fishing with Qrow, went to say something about the outing, but Qrow peeled back the rest of the paper package, revealing dozens of tiny lobster looking crustaceans.

“What the hell are those?” Clover asked.

Qrow snorted.

“This,” he said, holding up a tiny crustacean, “is a crawdad.”


End file.
